


The Sun Sets and the Stars Rise (At last, I am at peace)

by I_See_The_Stars_15



Series: Coming Home to the Forest [1]
Category: Hermitcraft RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Cryptids, Dreams and Nightmares, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Hermits as Family, Hurt/Comfort, I probably forgot some hermits and im sorry, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, Mythology References, just know they're all here and they're all one big family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:13:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24626056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_See_The_Stars_15/pseuds/I_See_The_Stars_15
Summary: They tell him not to enter the forest, that beasts reside there. He doesn't tell them of course, that he isn't as human as they are.But that's not this tale. This tale is one of a man going home.
Relationships: Welsknight/Mrs.Welsknight
Series: Coming Home to the Forest [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1953844
Comments: 27
Kudos: 117





	1. Home

**Author's Note:**

> A multi-chapter fic with fluff??? A title not from a song??? What universe am I in???

There is a forest rumored to be home to something beyond humans. In a day and age where technology roams, the myths and legends of the past seem to have stayed relevant to the town that borders those woods. 

‘Magic still exists.’ The elders would warn, shaking scolding fingers with serious eyes. ‘Don’t play with things you don’t know are safe.’

There are stories of too bright eyes and too high laughter, of the beating of wings and pounding of hooves when no tracks are left behind. When there are tracks left behind, they are spaced too wide, too many to be something akin to man. There are feathers to brightly colored or too silky, scales that shine too differently in the sun. There are stories of people who lingered too long, who came back the same but different. They came back with eyes that know too much and mouths that babble words they don’t understand.

‘There were best friends who entered the wounds one day.’ They’d say to any newcomer. ‘When they came back, they didn’t talk to anyone. One even has green marks on his body.’

‘There’s a kid who ran into the forest one day.’ They would share if anyone was willing to listen. ‘Didn’t come back until a few days later, and he kept murmuring nonsense. No one talks to him anymore, and he doesn’t talk back.’

The forest was home to beings of different worlds, with different stories and different names. Their stories are spread through hushed words and talks behind closed doors. They’re called monsters, called freaks, called every insult that can be formed with mortal tongues. Parents would threaten to send their misbehaving children to the forest to get them to behave. Children would bully others telling them to ‘go into the forest with the other beasts.’ They think the forest is ruled by chaos, ruled by darkness.

That’s the thing about mortals, they’re almost always wrong.

The sun rises as a young man waits by an open window. The woods are seen just beyond his field of vision, the cold morning wind sending him shivering in ecstasy. A young woman is in bed near him, and as she sits up and turns around to see him, she gives a sleepy smile.

“Thinking of them?” She asks, voice rough but still soft. The man hums, plucking a small feather from the bed stand and tucking it into her hair.

“I’ll be back.” He vows, pressing his forehead against hers. “You can come with me you know.”

She silences what else he might have said with a chaste kiss. “In time, I will. For now, just come back when you’re ready.”

He smiles back, eyes shining in an ethereal way before giving her one last kiss on the forehead. “I love you.” He whispers as a means of saying goodbye before jumping out the window.

He tumbles slightly but it does not deter him as he walks through their small town. They had readily accepted him, when he first arrived to live among them, and they never really did question his origins as he feared they would. When he walks to the bakery to purchase a few loaves of bread, the baker gives him a smile and freshly baked goods, chatting idly as she packages them for the man. When he stops by the bookstore to buy a few books and notebooks, the librarian asks him about his wife and about his life as he rings up his purchases. When he strolls farther away from the main town, he does so with greetings from those he passes by.

He comes upon a boy with a black hoodie and headphones covering his ears, and he drops one of the loaves into his hands, a grateful smile stretching across the kid’s face as he does so. With that done, he continues his journey, coming upon the very place people tend to avoid.

The forest was as magnificent as always, with emerald green leaves shimmering with fresh drops of dew. The light cascades down in showers, constantly moving in a pattern that enchants the man. From the corner of his eye, he spots a flickering patch of blue and, without hesitation follows it in. When he steps through the first bushes, he feels something extend from his back, casting light shadows in front of him. He hears a few voices whisper to him, in a language that sounds nothing like any mortal language spoken in the village. He answers back, eyes shining brightly as he continues to follow the wispy patches of light. When he notices that he’s been led in a circle, he stops and sighs, running a tingling and shifting hand through his hair.

“Jev, you know better than to trick me.” He calls out, and the voice in his ears laughs a laugh that would normally send shivers down someone’s spine, sounding like a child who knows too much.

“I thought you wouldn’t notice.” The voice whispers back, and the blue sparks in front of him merge to form a single figure. The man just sighs once more, although there was a light laugh at the end.

“Of course I’d notice you trying to get me lost, as if I didn’t stay here before.” The man tuts, looking around at his surroundings before heading down a certain path. The blue figure shrugs, giving a sloppy smile in return.

“Well, I thought you might have forgotten the way there, with you leaving and all.” The words seemed light, but there was a certain edge to them, a certain spark of longing and anger in his words. The man picks this up and gives a gentle smile.

“Of course I’d never forget you.” He answers the unspoken accusation in the air, and the tense air in the environment dissipates lightly. The blue figure momentarily disappears before reappearing, seeming to have shrunk between appearances.

“I know.” He whispers back, and they continue their walk in silence. A feeling comparable to lightning runs through the man’s veins and he grins at the familiar feeling. He sees one of the shadows move, and chuckles at its attempt to be quiet. He doesn’t point the person out to his companion, but there seems to be an understanding between them, agreeing to remain quiet as they walk along.

Another being however doesn’t seem to have gotten the memo, for as soon as they approach a particular clearing in the woods, a bundle of energy tackles him from above and pushes him to the ground.

“Wels!” The bundle exclaims, laughing from where he was hugging the man. “You’re back!”

“Yes I am Grian.” Wels mumbles, voice muffled by the boy on top of him. He gently pushes him off, getting a huff in return. He stands up and brushes himself off, touching his hair and feeling the telltale bumps of his horns on them. 

“You have to fly with me!” Grian insists, standing up to tug at Wels’ sleeve. He stretches his back to expose his feathery red wings, some of the feathers having fallen off when he unceremoniously crashed into his friend.

A cough comes from nearby and they see the flickering form of Jevin, looking annoyed but whose eyes held amusement. “We were quite content with walking actually.”

Grian opens his mouth to reply, but squawks instead when the shadow that followed them along solidified into a man with white hair and a mask covering where his mouth would have been. “Etho!” Grian gasps, shivering from where he hides behind Wels. “Why do you always pop out of nowhere?”

Etho shrugs, eyes crinkling at the corners to indicate a smile. “I’m a shadow spirit, Gri. Of course I’d be sneaking up on people.” He walks towards Wels and gives him a small pat on the shoulder, both of them laughing when Grian moves away. “It’s nice to see you again Wels.”

“And you as well, Etho.” Wels returns, turning around to see Grian’s eyes warily following Etho. His feathered and clawed arms twitch uncontrollably beside him. Etho huffs, rolling his eyes before disintegrating into a puddle of darkness. Grian squawks again, causing Jevin to laugh with Etho’s disembodied voice.

“Not funny.” He pouts, taking to the skies and hovering just above Wels who just smiles. He had missed this, the banter that flowed easily between them. The community was closely knit, but the ‘threat’ of magic had always prevented the formation of an atmosphere as light as theirs was.

“I’m guessing Xisuma already knows I’m here?” Wels asks as the four continue to move, Grian flying lazily above, and Etho lurking in the shadows of the canopy above.

“Yep.” Jevin answers, popping the last consonant for emphasis. He once again disappears for the moment before reappearing a few paces in front of Wels, giving him a mischievous smile. “The others are already waiting in the center actually.”

Grain lets out a sound of protest from where he was dodging tree branches. “That was supposed to be a secret!” He whines, crossing his arms as he ducks under a particular branch.

“It won’t remain a secret for long.” Jevin argues back, flames extending slightly before returning to his stable, humanoid form. “We’re already there.”

Etho solidifies again, causing Grian to falter in the sky. The shadow man ignores the indignant squawk coming from the harpy and gestures to a small patch of leaves that seem to extend from a giant willow tree. “Would you like the honors, Wels?” He asks, smirking behind his mask as Grian glares at him from his hovering position just behind the man in question.

Wels smiles, fully unraveling his scaly wings and flapping them just enough to lift him a few inches off the ground. His smile is full of teeth that had become sharp, canines growing into fangs. “With pleasure.”

He moves forward and parts the leaves, his eyes taking a moment to adjust to the relative darkness of the area. Crystals of different colors and brightness hang from the branches of the willow tree, providing a unique aura of calm. There were patches of flowers growing on the grass in the ground, and certain stones were overturned to become seats for the creatures waiting inside the makeshift dome. The chatter that had been present when Wels pushed the leaves away quiets down as all of the inhabitants turn to look at the newly arrived dragon.

A fox in particular perks up before transforming, his limbs turning into hands and feet while his snout becomes a face. His nine tails swish lazily behind him, but his eyes show a warmth that Wels finds he has dearly missed. The kitsune approaches him, and stands right in front of his old friend, offering two opened hands. Wels accepts the offer, placing his hand over their leader’s with a bright smile.

“Welcome back, Wels.” The man offers, voice soft but commanding. 

“It’s good to be back.” Wels speaks in return, as he is greeted with the clatter of hooves and the bleating of goats, as someone howls and another screeches in joyful reply. The community may have been where he met the love of his life, but it’s in this forest that he feels truly at home.


	2. Hearth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's back home, but his past still haunts him

Wels wakes up curled up on the ground, wings forming a shield over him, and his tail resting between his legs. He shivers slightly, not reacting well to the cold floor as he lifts his head up. He takes a look over the room, observing all the other creatures that lay asleep near him. The welcome party for him had lasted deep into the night, and instead of retreating to their own respective areas of the forest to rest, they decided to sleep under the willow tree instead. It was under the willow tree that he learned of those who left or disappeared from the forest in the time he was gone. He had been disappointed to learn that the only other dragon among them had disappeared a few weeks into his own departure. 

Ren is in his hound form, being used as a pillow by both Doc and Iskall, who seems to have buried themselves in his fur. Cleo sleeps at Joe’s paws, the sphinx laying protectively over her. Tango is in between his two best friends, hair on fire as the two goat creatures huddle near him for warmth. Jev and Etho are absent, but the soft disembodied voices whispering around them makes Wels aware of their presence. The others are cuddled together, some in their more humanoid forms while others, like Xisuma, prefer to sleep in their animal forms.

The dragon stands up, stretching his wings as quietly as he can, and tiptoes over the pile of creatures to approach one of the only ones still awake.

Keralis startles slightly upon seeing him approach, but being able to regain his bearings before he can disturb any of the others. “Hey, I don’t think we’ve met before today.” He starts, moving to sit beside the moth cryptid. He takes a deep breath and exhales, fire coming out of his mouth. It crackles softly, warm glow contrasting that of the crystals still hanging overhead, and making him sigh in relief as the heat seeps into his bones.

“It doesn’t matter now, does it?” Keralis hums in reply, voice deep but gentle. “What matters is that you are one of us, and I am too.”

Wels smiles from beside him, daring to lay his head on the other. Keralis does not push him away, and instead moves closer so that they both can be more comfortable. “That is true, isn’t it?” He whispers, yawning slightly and shifting so his tail doesn’t go numb.

“If I may ask, where did you come from?” His companion asks softly, intertwining his fingers with his claws. “I do not know where else a dragon could have come from but in the mountains near this forest.”

“That is where I’m from.” Wels replies. “There used to be a village just beyond the mountains, and that is where I was born.” His eyes glaze over at the memories of home, and of the trauma that befell him there. “How about you? Where did you come from?”

Keralis chuckles softly, eyes darting between him and the fire he lit. “I am from this forest like you, I am even one of the first to be here.” A small smile fixes itself on his face, the fire making his giant eyes seem more glasslike. “I left to travel, and I terrorized a few humans in my journeys.” He lifts one of his hands to rub at his neck, suddenly looking sheepish. “I once caused a bridge to collapse. I avoided that place after a while.”

Wels lets out a small giggle at the faint dusting of red on the moth man’s cheeks. His own smile softens, staring into the shifting red and yellow of fire. He opens his mouth to share one of his own stories, but a yawn leaves it instead. It’s his turn to blush as Keralis notices the dragon’s tired posture and gives a deep rumble of a chuckle.

“You should go to sleep now.” Keralis murmurs, eyes still transfixed on the fire that keeps the cold-blooded dragon warm. “I am sure many would like to ask more about you, including myself, in the morning.” He proceeds to hum a soft lullaby: no words, just a soothing melody harmonizing with the snores around the cave.

Attracted by the noise, Jevin and Etho appear again, mirroring their position with Etho’s shadowy head laying on the wispy figure’s shoulder. They still talk softly, now including Keralis in their conversation, but Wels pays them no mind. Instead, he drifts off to sleep listening to his friend’s hushed voices and the quiet roar of the flame.

He dreams of fire, of a town he once called home until he grew his wings and grew his scales. He dreams of running, of flying and fleeing from people he had once considered family. It was dark and he was cold but he couldn’t stop or else they’ll catch him.

He hears them call him names, call him a freak, and hears the whirring of arrows and the dull thuds of them hitting bark instead of flesh. He has no light to guide him, only the hope that he will make it out of this dilemma alive. He makes an attempt to fly, but a marksman’s arrow finds itself lodged in one of his wings and it sends him spiralling downward, crashing into the branches of a weeping willow. He whimpers as he tugs on the weapon, grinding his teeth and looking for a way to escape. There’s more screams behind him but it doesn’t matter anymore as he feels himself slip off the branch and start falling into darkness.

He jolts awake, finding himself moved from his position on Keralis’ shoulder. Instead, he is on the floor, blinking groggily as his eyes adjust to the soft dim of the crystals once more. A soft whimper involuntarily escapes his mouth, and he quickly looks around to see if anyone nearby notices. Most creatures are already awake, including Keralis who was happily talking to Bdubs. The creature smiles and waves when he sees him staring, before going back and animatedly gesturing to his half-awake companion.

In his stupor, he fails to notice someone settle themselves next to him until he feels antlers poking against his side. Blanching at the sharp feeling against his flesh, he turns to see Stress nuzzling into him, eyes wide and knowing. He remembers that she’s a wendigo, and as such she was more susceptible to feeling the negative emotions of others.

“Are you alright, love?” She murmurs into his side, adjusting her head so as to not hurt the dragon more. Her accent is even heavier with sleep, but Wels finds himself looking past that in favor of cuddling into her. He hums noncommittally before sighing, stretching his wings to cover the two of them.

“Just had a nightmare, that’s all.” He mutters back, soft voice as to not disturb anyone else who might still be asleep.

“Do you wanna talk about it by any chance?” She asks, shivering slightly until Wels lights a fire in front of them, warming both of them up.

Wels is quiet for a while, clearly pondering the other’s question. He wraps his tail tighter around himself, shoulders sagging. “It was of when the others found me, when I was still being hunted by the elders.” He mumbles, closing his eyes as though willing the memories away.

Stress, sensing his discomfort, grabs his hand to give it a soft squeeze. “I wasn’t there when it happened.” She whispers, using her hand to trace light patterns on the other’s scales. “What happened?”

Wels swallows the bile rising up his throat. “They-they found out I was a dragon.” He starts, eyes focused on the fire. “The elders didn’t appreciate magic, so they chased after me, wanted to kill me.”

He shifts slightly, tucking his head under his wing. “I tried to escape, and they followed me for a while. The forest was bigger then, but they kept looking for me.” He hears Stress hum beside him, indicating that she was still listening. He closes his eyes at that, thinking quietly before continuing. “One of the archers, they got lucky and struck me in my wing while I was flying. Got stranded t-there, in one of t-the willow branches.” He stutters on the last sentence, whimpering softly as the memories hit him full force. 

Stress moves again, this time removing herself from his grasp and slowly moving his wings away until she can softly cusp Wels’ face with her hands. “What next love?” She asks quietly, voice gentle and hollow eyes showing concern. She wipes a stray tear away from his face. “What happened next?”

“Tango found me.” He gasps out, trying to focus on the warmth. “Tango found me, and TFC helped remove the arrow. Xisuma chased them away afterwards.”

He looks over, and despite the blurriness in his eyes, sees Stress still softly smiling at him. 

“The past is in the past, dear.” She tells him, wrapping the dragon in a hug. “You don’t have to forget what happened, but we’re here for you now, we’ll always be here for you.”

She lets go of him, and Wels takes the opportunity to wipe his eyes, mindful of his claws. He gives a shaky but genuine smile back. 

“Thank you.” He tells her, eyes looking back at the fire and seeing how it illuminates their small corner of the world. “I’ll never forget.”

He really won’t, not when he sees his odd family all huddled on the floor, slowly stirring and waking up as light peeks through the willow leaves.

He watches everyone get up, some immediately fluttering around, namely Grian, and others taking their time and enjoying the steady stream of light. Stress steps away with a murmured excuse that he doesn’t really hear, and walks up to Cleo, tackling the banshee and causing her to release a startled wail that woke up the last of the still sleeping hermits. Wels finds himself giggling at the muffled groan coming from those woken up by the noise, while Stress looks away in mock innocence.

He takes one last whiff of the fire before standing up and blowing it out, stretching his numb limbs. Scar and Cub immediately bound up to him, asking him about the technology the humans in his community have access to. He laughs again when Doc walks up to the two and drags them away, muttering angrily that ‘it’s too early to think of pranking humans.’

Grian flits over next, excitedly flying as he drags a half-awake Mumbo. The elf’s ears twitch in annoyance but does greet him a good morning before wrenching himself away from the harpy’s claws to eat a few berries that he was offered when he woke up. Grian pouts, stealing a few of the berries and popping them into his mouth. His teeth stained with juice, he grins to ask Wels if they can go flying near the mountains with Tango and Bdubs. Wels feels his wings shift excitedly behind him, and with a wide smile agrees, much to Grian’s delight.

Wels walks over to Xisuma, the kitsune giving him a piece of wild game for breakfast. Wels accepts and quickly scarfs down the meat, grinning widely after. Xisuma laughs at that, poking fun at him.

“You look more like a puppy than a dragon like that.” He teases, fox-like features making his smile seem more mischievous. Wels growls playfully at the jab, rolling his eyes.

“It’s not my fault I ended up somewhere that doesn’t have meat as fresh as this.” He retorts, reaching for another piece of meat to eat.

“It kind of is.” Xisuma points out, eating a few berries himself. His nose twitches when some juice ends up dripping to the ground, and Wels chuckles at the creature’s tick.  
“It really is.” He agrees, a small ring of smoke escaping his mouth at his words and hitting Xisuma straight in the face, causing him to yelp and drop the berries he had in his paws. Wels blinks once, twice, before falling to the ground and rolling in laughter. Xisuma huffs and rolls his own eyes, softly kicking the dragon in the side before transforming into his fox form, grabbing the berries on the floor with his mouth and pouncing away, curling himself at Bdubs’ feet.

When his fit of laughter ends, he shifts into a sitting position just in time for Ren to jump on him, changing from his hound form mid-leap. He falls on Wels’ chest, causing the dragon to fall over again with a startled ‘eep’. Ren’s excited eyes and wagging tail just makes him laugh again, this one warmer and more controlled. He lets his eyes wander, and looks up at the branch where he landed the first time. He knows, deep down, that the warm feeling in his chest is not from the fire within him or from the hellhound on top of him, but from the love of his family that promises affection and protection all the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess which bridge our dear friend Keralis brought down? ;)))


	3. Heaven/Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's fun, until he confronts his past

“The sun is bright today.” Wels rumbles, opening his eyes to briefly glare at the star in the sky before letting his right wing cover his scaly head. Below him, Hypno bleats out in laughter. 

“You’d think someone as cold-blooded as you would actually appreciate the sun.” He speaks up from where he was laying on one of his claws. In his actual dragon form, Wels became big enough for multiple people to lean against him. They were in a secluded clearing, closer to the mountains than to the community, giving him the freedom to transform and hang out with more of his friends. It does mean however that he is more exposed to the unrelenting sun.

“And you’d think that a being that’s half-goat would be more cautious of a dragon.” Wels mutters in reply, moving to pick up Hypno from the ground and hold him right in front of his face. Hypno eeps at the sudden movement and flinches when he comes face to face with Wels’ giant lizard-like eyes.

“You know, I am in the mood to eat. Maybe goat would taste good.” Wels muses, bearing his sharp teeth in a mocking grin. Hypno’s eyes widen at the insinuation, shakily glaring at him.

“Y-you wouldn’t.” Hypno stammers out, and when Wels just looks on unimpressed, Hypno yelps. “TFC!” He calls out to the gnome who pops up from the ground. “You gotta help me man! Wels is gonna eat me!”

TFC looks between the terrified faun and the dragon barely holding in his laughter and sighs, sitting on one of the mushroom caps nearby. “I don’t think he’d actually eat you.” He pipes up, almost bored. xB pops up near him, holding a small pickaxe and covered in dirt. He dusts himself off before sitting beside his friend, leaving his pick on the ground. 

“That’s what I said but he’s not moving!” Hypno bleats out, cautiously eyeing the dragon who has smoke coming out of his nose. TFC just hums, smirking slightly.

“Then you’re on your own kid.” TFC tells him, shrugging. Hypno lets out a noise of betrayal as he is suddenly dropped to the ground. Looking up he sees Wels shaking his head as a deep laughter emerges from him. A cloud of smoke appears around him, and when it dissipates, it reveals Wels back in his more humanoid form, rolling on the ground in laughter.

“I-I can’t breathe.” He gasps out, shaking as he wipes tears out of his eyes. “You looked so terrified!”

Hypno huffs, trying to recover from being unceremoniously dropped from that height. “Well, when a dragon threatens to _eat_ you, you’d be terrified too!”

“You have nothing to be terrified of Hypno!” A chirpy voice pipes up out of nowhere as Jevin materializes in front of them. “No dragon would ever want to eat you!”

Hypno’s eyes narrow at the blue wispy figure, sensing an insult. “And why would that be Jevin?”

Jevin’s grin turns predatory, flames extending outward. “Because you smell!” He calls out before separating into a group of smaller fires. Hypno snarls in return, standing up and chasing the fires as they pop in and out of existence. Disembodied laughter gets softer and fainter as they chase each other away from the clearing. This causes Wels to laugh even harder, trying his best to sit up and failing. xB lets out a few giggles as well while TFC lets out an amused huff.

Joe takes this moment to enter their clearing, tilting his feline head as he bounds into their area. “Is there something that took place for Jevin and Hypno to start and race?” He asks, frowning and shaking his head as the rhyme flows out rougher than he wanted. 

“Just the usual banter, nothing to worry about.” TFC assures him, voice gruff as always. Joe’s eyes crinkle at that, before going to Wels and nudging his still shaking form.

“And you my friend? When will your bout of laughter end?” He asks, supporting the dragon whose laughter is no longer audible, instead signaled by puffs of smoke every now and then.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” He gasps out after a while, grasping his stomach as a giggle rips itself out of his mouth. “You should have been here earlier Joe, Hypno looked hilarious.”

“He really did.” xB joins in, mouth stretched into a wide grin. His eyes are twinkling with mischief as he recounts the events of the afternoon to the sphinx. Wels, having finally calmed down, looks up at the sun and sees a few clouds in the sky, making the light more bearable. A small smile on his face, he flies up above the canopy and sits on the leaves, facing the mountains.

He closes his eyes and feels the heat brush over him, feels the zephyr blowing by, too subtle to be anything other than a nuisance. The forest is quiet, and even if his enhanced hearing picks up stray laughter it’s still relatively peaceful.

He hears the flapping of wings before he sees the creature, running around until he comes face to face with red eyes and burning wings. He doesn’t flinch back, although he is shocked, but instead he smiles and gives a small wave.

“Hey Tango!” He greets as the phoenix sits beside him, his wings disappearing into a cloud of ash. The creature grins in return, running a hand through his hair to get rid of the last remaining bits of ash. Some of it hits Wels, but he doesn’t mind, simply wiping them away.

“Sorry man.” Tango apologizes, but Wels waves him off.

“It’s quite alright, I assure you.” Wels tells him, choosing to continue and look at the mountains.

“Zed and Cleo are down there at the moment.” Tango shares after a period of silence. “We ran into Hypno in the middle of the forest. He was mumbling something about Jevin smelling?”

Wels laughs a little, tail swishing behind him as he does. “What else would Hypno be mad about?” He asks, poking fun at Jevin and his rivalry.

Tango gives out a laugh of his own, eyes literally on flame. The phoenix gets up to stretch, staring at the sky. “Don’t tell me you’ll spend the rest of the day just looking at the mountains?” Tango tells him as fire lights up his back again. He hovers just above the trees, making sure not to light anything on fire with his wings. Wels just smiles, standing up but not flying. 

“I just need to go check something out, don’t worry.” Wels assures the other, shooing him away. “You should go and make sure Hypno isn’t trying to get Zed into trouble again.”

A terrified bleat sounds below them, followed by an angry banshee shriek and high pitched laughter. Tango falters slightly, startled by the noise before recovering with a sigh. “Too late for that.” He mutters before saluting and flying down.

Wels salutes back before turning towards the mountain again, stretching his leathery wings. Taking a deep breath, he heads towards the mountains, flying above and over the rocky terrain. When he looks down, he sees burnt remains of houses and workplaces, and sees ashes of a leftover civilization. He sees flashes of memories, he hears phantom voices and sees an everlasting fire, burning image after image in his mind until smoke clouds his vision.

He lands, stumbling and falling in front of an unsuspecting heap of stone. It’s a building whose purpose was lost to the memory of all except his. He knows this building, knows it like he knows the forest, or the community. This building, these ruins, they once carried the same warmth that those places hold now. 

_Home_.

This was once his home, and as he runs claws over places human hands had piled stone, he remembers his home, and he remembers his people before they turned against him. He remembers how they took him in and cared for him, how he would run with the other kids and laugh with them. He remembers how he would show them his fire in secret, blowing rings of smoke that always made them giggle. He remembers growing his wings and wanting to tell the elders, but overheard them talking about beasts and suddenly being afraid of them and the horns on his head.

He remembers wearing helmet after helmet to conceal them, wearing silver armor to pretend he was completely human. He remembers fighting for them, fighting the forest like them if only so that he can be like them and not be hunted.

He remembers how heaven turned to hell, how his horns were exposed and how he was suddenly hunted. Nevermind that they raised him, nevermind that the children he once played with now wielded weapons against him. This place was home turned ash when he had no choice but to fight back.

He was crying, silent tears burning up before they could reach the ground. Steam floats around him, and it seems like he is there again, lighting wooden houses on fire in a desperate bid to escape. This was no longer home, not ever since they chased him into the forest. This? This was just another village driven away by beasts, another warning tale to those around the forest: there are monsters nearby.

This village is old, too old to be remembered by name, but too young to be forgotten. The community would tell stories of this village, and it pained the dragon to be among them and hear how he destroyed this town. He loves the community, really he does, but fear still lingers when all else is gone. They may not be the type to hunt down their foes, but he is afraid of when the tide will turn.

He does not know how long it’s been, does not know how much the sun has changed until someone wanders towards him. A hand is on his shoulder and he does not flinch, does not shrink back. Instead, he turns and buries his head on to the person’s shoulder, still feeling his tears turn to steam.

“Oh Wels.” A woman’s voice coos, running a hand over his horns in a soothing pattern. “You don’t have to return here if you’re not ready.”

“I have to.” Wels insists, voice still thick with tears. “I need to come back, say sorry.”

Cleo tuts softly, still running her hands through the dragon’s hair. “No one is here to listen though. Why would you return?”

“I-” Wels chokes on his words, pulling away slightly enough to take a breath of air. “I don’t know, it feels right.” He admits, head bowed in fatigue. It’s hard to believe that just hours ago, he had been laughing at his friend’s terror. Now? He weeps over causing this place terror.

“You’re not a monster, you know that?” Cleo speaks up after a period of silence, pulling away so the two can look each other in the eye. “You did what you needed to do to survive.”

“I burned down my home.” Wels weakly retorts, eyes darting downwards. “I destroyed them when they took me in.”

“You fought back when they attacked you.” Cleo corrects him, voice soft yet steady. “This doesn’t have to be your home.”

“This isn’t home.” Wels agrees, looking once more at the burned buildings, the shattered stones, the weapons haphazardly thrown around, and the pieces of green keeping this place preserved in time. “Home is with you in the forest. Home is with her in the community.”

Cleo’s smile turns sad at the mention of the community, but doesn’t comment. Instead she grabs his claws. “Then let’s go home, shall we?” She offers, quietly, almost unheard in the wind.

Wels nods, tired. “Let’s go home.” He whispers, grabbing her in his arms and flying the two of them across the mountains, straight into the center of the forest and into the willow tree. 

His landing is smoother, careful, and no one asks where he went. He thinks that they just know where he disappeared off to, at least from their gentle smiles and soft hugs.

This is home, but home is also elsewhere. Home is an unsuspecting house in a cozy little village, where no one notices his disappearances and where no one notices his secret. Home is out there, beyond the forests, and she’s waiting for him with open arms.

“I have to go home.” He murmurs, lost in the laughter and sheer joy that surrounds the dome. He looks around and sees Jevin up against a wall, flickering figure eyeing him with knowing eyes and a sad smile. “But not yet. Soon, but not yet.” He tells himself, putting a smile on his own face and approaching his friend.

There’s still memories to be made in this home after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One step closer to the end!


	4. Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to go back

The forest is quiet this time around. A somber atmosphere befalls upon the creatures, and Wels knows why. He himself is in another empty clearing by the central willow tree, Grian’s head on his lap as he stares at nothing. Other creatures were nearby, either in the clearing or in the shade of the willow tree. Their leader was away, saying that he needed to find something before the day was done. Wels runs his claws through the harpy’s head, lightly scratching his scalp in the way he knows comforts the boy. He was the relatively new addition to their mismatched family, and although he stayed mostly with Mumbo and Iskall, he seems to cling a lot to the dragon. It is silent, and Wels takes a deep breath, savoring the magic in the air.

“You’re going back.” Grian’s question is phrased more like a statement, his voice soft and making him seem smaller than he actually is. “To them.”

Wels hums noncommittally, eyes glazed over. The quiet is almost suffocating now, but he doesn’t protest or move. He knows that the others with them heard Grian’s sentence, and knows they are waiting for his reply. He chooses to keep the quiet for a few seconds more.

“They hunt us.” Grian twists in his lap, wrapping his feathery wings around him. “They see us and they hurt us.” He whispers bitterly, eyes closed. He didn’t share his past with them as far as Wels can recall, but he knows that he has a grudge on humans, whom he calls ‘Watchers’. He clings onto Wels tighter as though begging him to stay. “They’ll hurt you.”

“Not them.” Wels finally speaks, voice as soft and as heavy as Grian’s. “Not _her_.” He stresses, almost as though he was talking to himself. He hears Iskall murmur Grian’s name, but the harpy doesn’t move. He looks up at Wels, almost pleading with his eyes. Wels gives a soft smile, shaking his head at Grian’s silent question. Wordlessly, Grian stands up, extends his wings and flies away without another glance. Iskall is automatically to his feet, meaning to catch up with his friend when Cub stops him.

“He’ll be fine.” Cub tells the cyclops, dragging him into the willow tree. Scar follows behind him, muttering a soft ‘I understand’ to Wels when he passes by. He doesn’t acknowledge the fae beyond a nod as they disappear under the hanging branches.

Once again there is silence, and Wels closes his eyes. He knows they won’t hurt him, not as long as he pretends to be one of them. He doesn’t mind pretending, and sometimes it’s that normalcy they promise that he craves. The others may not approve, and he knows they feel slight anger for him to choose to go back to those who ostracize them, but it just feels right, in the community, especially with her.

“You really like her, don’t you?” A voice snaps him out of his contemplation, belonging to False who has moved beside him. She still keeps her distance, and he can hear the soft hissing of the snakes in her hair. He doesn’t need to fear being turned to stone in her presence, but he can’t bring himself to look her in the eyes either. 

“I do.” He whispers, staring at his claws as though willing them to disappear. “I love her, and I love you guys too.”

“Not in the same way.” False mutters, voice carefully neutral. She seems to be tinkering with a few stones in her hand, and she slowly places them on the ground. She shifts, and although Wels doesn’t dare to look up, he knows she is staring right at him. “Your bond with her is different.”

“I want to bring her here.” Wels admits instead of replying, closing his eyes and bringing his knees closer to his chest. “She knows about me, and she doesn’t care.”

“This forest cares.” False reminds him, and he is suddenly very much aware of the magic clinging onto him, binding him to the vines and the trees and the ground and the sky. “If she enters, it won’t be her who leaves.”

“I know.” Wels chokes out, holding back tears. It seems being in the forest makes him feel more complicated over everything in his life. “I know but I don’t want to lose any of you.”

False clicks her tongue, and snakes a hand over to Wels shoulder. He flinches but doesn’t move, head still firmly placed in between his knees. She doesn’t say anything more, so Wels fills the silence instead.

“I know my choice is hurting you, is hurting all of you. I know that humans have hurt you, and they’ve hurt Grian, and Xisuma, and I know they’ve hurt me too.” He hisses between clenched teeth, a few stray tears slipping out of his eyes. “I just want to hope that we can be better, that our worlds can be ok together.” He takes False’s hand off his shoulder and clenches it between his hands instead. He feels his claws dig into her skin but she doesn’t comment or pull away.

“Is that too much to ask?” He finally opens his eyes, and notes that the only other creature with them was Bdubs, who was on his other side, looking uncertain but concerned. He opens his beak to speak, but closes it when no sound comes out, moving over to envelop Wels in a hug instead. His wings don’t cover them completely, but the hug still feels suffocating to the point that he had to pull out.

“I-I’m sorry.” He hiccups, wiping his tears away. “I have no right to cry, I know. It just came out.” His voice cracks, but no one comments on it, nor on anything he said. Bdubs and False meet eyes and hold a silent conversation before False stands up, cradling her gently bleeding hand. She doesn’t speak as she retreats to the willow, supposedly to tend to the wounds caused by Wels’ claws. A surge of guilt threatens to spill with a new batch of tears, but he holds himself back.

“Wels?” Bdubs slowly starts, voice still unsure. “Do you know where I went, when Doc, Etho, Beef and I had that small falling out?”

Wels snorts at the implication that their falling out was small. When the group of four got into an argument, the fallout was drastic enough that all the creatures in the forest were affected. All of them, except Doc, had fled the jungle in the aftermath, and the cyclops withdrew himself into the mountains to work in isolation. It was devastating, and it was a huge relief for Wels when he came back to see all four happily working together again.

He shakes his head, both as a way to snap out of his tired thoughts, and to answer Bdubs’ question.

“I stumbled upon a village, far away from here.” Bdubs informs him, scooting so that he can get closer. “This village, they didn’t turn me away even with my beak, or my wings. They accepted me.”

Wels breathing hitches at the tengu’s words. A village that accepted someone like them? Those places actually exist?

Bdubs’ quiet laughter alerts him to the fact that he was thinking out loud. “Surprising right? The others wouldn’t believe me when I told them about it, but I swear, I found it!” He exclaims, raising his arms to exaggerate his point. His voice then softens again, taking a more wistful tone. “But yeah, it was nice, really nice. I even fell in love there.”

“Why did you come back then?” He asks and he watches as his companion’s shoulders slump, and eyes staring at the ground like he did a few moments ago. 

“It wasn’t time yet.” Bdubs replies, pained voice barely above a whisper. “They accepted me, but it doesn’t mean everyone else would. I was protecting them by going back, just like you’re gonna be protecting us by going back.”

Wels furrows his eyebrows, trying to make sense of what Bdubs was trying to say, but failing. When he shares as much, Bdubs just sighs.

“You’re gonna go out there, and maybe, just maybe you can prove that creatures like us aren’t monsters like they say we are.” Bdubs shakes his head. “That doesn’t mean you have to do it all your own though. Just because you can doesn’t always mean you should.” He shudders slightly, and wraps his wings around him in a way Wels was all too familiar with. He moves to hug the man, but doesn’t when Bdubs shrinks away.

“I-I’m alright.” He shakily assures the dragon before hugging himself. “The world, it ain't ready for us yet. Some places, some people maybe, but we can’t force it.” He looks up at the setting sun, and Wels follows his gaze, squinting slightly. Whereas before he would find it too hot, now it seems too cold, like all the warmth in the world is not enough to help him. 

“I really, really believe that we can live with humans one day.” Wels murmurs, still looking up. “I want to believe that time will come when we won’t be afraid of each other.”

“Me too.” Bdubs mumbles back, mouth shifting to form a tight-lipped smile. “Maybe we just need to wait a bit more.”

Wels nods in agreement, and Bdubs’ smile turns more genuine. “So then, what stories do you have of out there?” He asks eagerly, and Wels laughs, launching into stories that the two shared until the sun was barely in the sky.

His mind doesn’t focus on the story Bdubs was telling him, although he laughs when it feels right. He stares at the pink streaking the sky, giving way to purple, and he thinks. Was he willing to wait for the world? Should he just chase after that paradise himself?

He thinks of his family in these forests, of their fear and their pain and their want to roam free. He thinks of the community, of their fear and their pain and their want to feel free from harm. The time will come when they can both get their wishes, but will he risk it all to make that time come sooner?

He thinks of her, red feather in her hair a memento of his old home beyond the mountains. He thinks of his promise to her, to come back. He thinks of her smile and her smell and her warmth spreading into his heart.

He shakes his head gently, not enough for Bdubs to notice. He won’t risk it, because he knows she’s willing to wait for that day to come, and so will he.

It’s Beef who ultimately interrupts their storytelling session, when the sun has disappeared and the moon has taken its place in the dark blue sky. He rubs his hand over his horns, almost sheepishly as the two turn to look at him. “Uh, Wels, X is asking if it’s time.” He tells the dragon who only nods, taking a deep breath as he stands. There’s no need to ask what he means. He knows, they all know, and he knows the answer to their leader’s question. 

Beef approaches Bdubs, hand out to help the tengu stand, and the two hold a silent conversation that Wels doesn’t bother to listen to. He focuses instead on his wings, on his horns, on his tail and his claws and his magic. He will have to let go of it once more, and where before he was nervous, now he was steady. He walks through the willow’s branches with the others behind him, and lets out his breath.

The glow of the crystals was as alluring as ever, but even it seems to have dimmed to say goodbye. He meets Xisuma’s eyes and nods, a weary but genuine smile on his face. The others immediately swarm him, giving him farewells and all he can answer back with are promises to return, to wait until the world is ready for them. Some like Grian hugged him fiercely, while others like Doc had only given him a smile or pat on the back. Jevin and Etho were lingering in the corners of the room, not really approaching him since they’ll have a few more minutes to escort the dragon out.

The last person who comes up to him is Xisuma, tails swishing anxiously behind him. Mirroring how the kitsune had welcomed the dragon in, he extends his two hands, waiting for Wels to take them. Now, one hand was filled with a pendant that seemed to pulse with magic. Wels places his hands over his, and shivers when the stone touches his skin, watching as his claws shrink right in front of him, and feeling his wings slowly disappear.

“Scar, Cub and I’ve been working on this for a while.” Xisuma softly explains, voice gentle but still heard amongst the quiet. “It should help you hide from the others just a bit better.”

Wels briefly retracts his hand to stare at the gem, swallowing his tears as he places it right over his neck. There is a brief flash of warmth in his chest, and he gives a soft smile. He places his hand over Xisuma’s once more, and Xisuma squeezes them back.

“You will always be welcomed back here, Wels. This forest will always be your home.” Xisuma assures him, and Wels squeezes the other’s hand in return.

“I won’t forget that, and I won’t forget you.” He promises one last time as a farewell, and when Xisuma lets go, he raises one hand up in a silent wave. They all mirror him, some more verbally than others, and with a soft chuckle, turns around and leaves, Jevin and Etho trailing him.

The walk back to the edge is quiet, and no one dared to break it. Wels lets his fingers run across the barks of trees as he follows Jevin’s gentle blue flames out of his home. Etho is much harder to track at night, but Wels can still sense his presence and it comforts him knowing that the two are still guiding him. Jevin doesn’t make him go in circles, but his head is still dazed, and he doesn’t know if he would have even returned at all if not for them reminding him of his journey.

He goes to take another step when Etho materializes out of nowhere, holding him back before he can leave. Jevin too condenses, his flames not as bright and his normally laidback smile not as wide. He stays near the dense trees, watching Etho interact with Wels.

The shadow gives Wels a tight hug, murmuring as he does so. “I’m looking forward to when you come by again.” 

Wels pulls away with a nod, giving a small smile of his own. “Me too, bud.” Etho, satisfied with his goodbye, steps back, turns towards the woods and dissipates, once more blending with the darkness.

Jevin’s smile falls as he approaches his friend, and carefully takes one hand in his. The fire provides Wels with a sense of comfort, causing the shoulders he didn’t know were tense to relax.

“You-you’ll stay safe, alright?” Jevin’s voice trembles, and so does his figure, seeming more erratic and wispy. “I don’t know when Biffa is coming back, so you better keep your promise.”

Wels’ eyes turn misty at the mention of their friend, of the dragon who had left shortly after he did and does his best to show his emotions on his face. 

“I will.” He swears, voice soft as to not make the shakiness in them obvious. Jevin hears it anyway and sighs in resignation, looking up one last time with a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

“The forest will remember that.” He warns almost teasingly, but it falls flat and floats ominously in the wind. Jevin winces but Wels just smiles and lets go of the wisp’s hands.

“I will remember it too. Goodnight, Jev.” He whispers and moves to leave, and takes one step, and another until he no longer sees trees in front of him. When he turns around, there is no blue fire, nor moving shadow, the woods seeming empty and daunting all at once. His hand finds itself clutching the small pendant that now hangs around his throat and, feeling its warmth assure him of his choice, continues on his path.

He swears, as he walks away, that he can hear a small voice whisper its own farewell in the back of his mind.

The road back seems even longer on his travel back, and it seems even lonelier in the dark. He knows it will be a while before he will see the picturesque builds of the community, knows that the road must be long to keep the two worlds separate, but he doesn’t think of anything more. He just lets his feet carry him down the path and lets his mind fill with nothing, hand never leaving the pendant. He closes his eyes.

When he opens them, he is standing in front of a familiar house, made of white quartz and concrete. The light on the second floor is on. She’s awake.

He fetches the key outside and quietly opens the door, locking it behind him with a soft click once he’s inside. The walls of the house are decorated with simple pictures of the two of them together, all in various stages of their relationship. One in particular, he notices is near the fountain where he dropped off a loaf of bread to a kid wearing headphones when he left. That kid was somewhere in the background, looking up with a barely noticeable smile. He smiles back at the photo before climbing up the stairs, his footsteps quiet from years of sneaking.

The door to their bedroom is unlocked, and so he gently pries it open. Taking a quick look over the room, he finds that not much has changed. The window he jumped out of when he left is now closed, and the feather he placed in her hair is once again on the table by the bed. He idly notes that two weeks have passed since he left, although that time felt much longer in the woods.

He finds her sleeping, facing away from the window as she tends to do. Her hair is splayed out on the pillows, and he smiles. He quickly and quietly changes out of the clothes he wore his whole stay. He left the town with loaves of bread and heaps of stationery, but he left them behind in the forest, knowing that the creatures there would appreciate the trinkets he’s left behind. He slides into bed with her and wraps his arms around her, wishing he could have his wings out to protect her with. Sensing his presence, she turns around, and looks at him with a groggy smile.

“You’re back.” She whispers, snuggling into his chest. She doesn’t question the pendant, nor does she question the tight grip he has on her. She just sighs contentedly, and he does too.

“Like I promised.” Wels replies, feeling the fatigue settle into his bones. He kisses her on the forehead before moving as close as he can to her, letting out a breath that tickles her ears.

“Like you promised.” She giggles, looking up with love in her eyes. Wels smiles back, taking a stray piece of her hair and pushing it behind her ear, chastely kissing her as he does so. With no more discussion or conversation, the two fall into a deep sleep, wrapped in each other’s arms like they were always meant to be.

He dreams not of fire, nor of smoke, but of emerald green leaves and cascading waterfalls of light. He dreams of laughter and of smiles, and he dreams of them, and he dreams of her. He dreams of a perfect world where no borders stand between humans and creatures. He dreams of wrapping his wings around the love of his life, leaning close as he chats with Bdubs and his lover. He dreams of paradise.

But he has no need for that paradise, not now at least. For her, he was willing to wait for paradise, and for them, he was willing to wait until he didn't need to fight for paradise. Right now? All he focuses on is his heart, beating in tandem with hers and beating in tandem with the rest of his family in the forest. All he focuses on is his two homes, and that is enough.

Outside his window, the sun rises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that concludes this story (for now)! I'm quite happy with this work, and even if I'll probably come back to edit it every so often, I'm content with how it ends. If you guys want to see more of this universe, or to learn more of the creature's backstories, comment below and I might give it a shot! Thank you for your support!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed, and if you did, please consider leaving a kudos! I truly appreciate all the support <3 Here's a list of the hermits and what creature or being they are in this au!
> 
> BdoubleO100 - tengu  
> Cubfan135 - fae  
> Docm77 - cyclops  
> EthosLab - shadow person  
> FalseSymmetry - gorgon  
> GoodTimesWithScar - fae  
> Grian - harpy  
> Hypnotizd - faun  
> iJevin - will o the wisp  
> ImpulseSV - faun  
> Iskall85 - cyclops  
> JoeHills - sphinx  
> Keralis - mothman  
> MumboJumbo - elf  
> Rendog - hellhound  
> StressMonster101 - wendigo  
> TangoTek - phoenix  
> TinFoilChef - gnome  
> VintageBeef - minotaur  
> Welsknight - dragon  
> xBCrafted - gnome  
> XisumaVoid - kitsune  
> ZedaphPlays - satyr  
> ZombieCleo - banshee


End file.
